Enlightenment
by BabyBeaver
Summary: A series of one-shot chapters based on prompts from the fic Insights. And yes, permission was granted. I didn't steal anything. Chapter eleven is about a lot of the characters, quick little looks into their thoughts.
1. Questions

**March 20, 2010**

**Just something I thought was interesting.**

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**A humorous look at a typical (or not so?) day at the School for Gifted Youngsters, sometime after Apocalypse has been defeated, and after X23 joins the X-Men.**

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**Notes: **This is a little different from what I usually write, I think, but I hope it's all right. There's a bit of psychology thrown in, just 'cause I'm cool like that. And because I've been reading background on the characters and decided it'd be interesting to incorporate somewhere.

I have no idea how in- or out-of-character this will be, and I don't know that I care at this point. It's just something to get my creativity going again.

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**1. Questions **

Kitty didn't know which was funnier, how red Roberto got after Rahne kissed him on the cheek, or how pale Logan got after Laura (X-23, who had moved in a couple weeks ago) asked him what her 'time of the month' was.

**--From PureWolfWarrior's "Insights" (story id 5590401)**

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It was your typical summer day at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

The sun was shining, students were swimming, and the adults were sitting around the pool trying not to get too wet while keeping some semblance of order.

That, of course, is difficult to do when one teaches teenagers of any kind, let alone the Mutant variety, but they were doing their best.

At least Logan wasn't threatening to shish kabob anyone. …Yet.

Over the sounds of splashing and laughing came a howl, high pitched and drawn-out, before the resident wolf sped into view and leaped gracefully into the cool blue water.

This earned Rahne an earful of protests from her teammates, the most significant from Jamie, whom she had crashed into in her haste. Said crash had resulted in Jamie multiplying, which meant even more noise, not to mention a little less space in the pool for the other Mutants.

"Jay-mee!" came a chorus of protests from the outraged teenagers, along with the _–snikt-_ of adamantium claws popping through skin. The sound was accompanied by a snarl and a "Stupid kid; can't control his powers…"

"Laura," Logan warned the newest recruit, glaring a very fatherly glare at the girl, his own fists clenched.

"Sorry," she mumbled (less than apologetically), pulling herself out of the water and grabbing her towel before trudging into the mansion to change. She was still working on controlling her temper, and she really was doing a good job at it. Most of the time. She just slipped sometimes… Like now.

Kitty and Amara followed the former assassin's lead soon after, muttering something about a bathroom break, and Kurt 'ported himself onto a chair near Ororo and Professor X, leaving Wolfsbane, Roberto, and Multiple in the pool to splash—a comical affair, to be sure.

Comical, that is, until the Jamies ganged up on Wolfsbane, splashing from all directions. Wolfsbane subsequently backed herself into a corner, whimpering as unwanted memories surfaced, rushing from the depths of her unconscious mind up into her conscious one.

Jamie didn't seem to realize the havoc his fun was wreaking on his friend, though he did grow curious as Wolfsbane struggled to crawl out of the pool, tears streaming down her cheeks as life before The Institute flashed before her panicked eyes.

Pulling himself out of the pool to dry off, Roberto noticed the shift in the adults' expressions and body language, as well as their gazes, and turned to see what held their attention.

His jaw dropped and his smile became a frown as he realized what Rahne was feeling, and at the hands of the most un-informed of their friends.

Dropping his towel, Roberto raced to the edge of the pool and wrapped his arms around the crying canine, pulling her out of the pool and stroking her fur gently, desperately trying to reassure Rahne she wasn't in that place anymore, that she was safe and with friends, that Jamie was just playing.

A tap on the shoulder pulled Roberto out of his one-sided conversation. Glancing up, his eyes full of tears for his friend's plight, Roberto could just make out Logan's form as the man reached down and lifted Wolfsbane into his arms, heading for the mansion.

Roberto followed quickly, stopped by Ororo's hand on his arm and the Professor's gentle nudge: _Jamie means well. I'll speak with him later. She'll be all right, Roberto. She's strong._

He barely acknowledged the thought, nodding slightly and sprinting to the house to make sure Rahne was all right.

Flinging the door open, he stopped short at the scene that greeted him.

Wolfsbane looked so much more fragile than usual, curled up on the living room floor.

Logan stood a few feet away, leaning on the doorjamb and looking grim as ever as he mentioned, "That's the problem with us mutants: we come from broken homes, bitter pasts. Some of us get over it easily enough, but some of us struggle for a long time to let go of the pain, the fear, the anger."

He studied the claws of his right hand thoughtfully as he continued, "We bond here, kid. We're a family, and we help each other overcome the past. Some of us can relate to each other—that helps the process. Sometimes all it takes is one person."

With that, the older mutant turned, sniffing the air and grunting the grunt that Roberto had come to discover meant the wolverine was fond of someone. There were only a few people he made that particular noise around, and Roberto didn't have to wait long to determine which of the girls Logan had scented.

Kitty came phasing into the room (through the ceiling, uncharacteristically) moments later, landing on the couch as Roberto sank down next to Rahne, pulling the wolf's head onto his lap and absently stroking the fur behind her ears.

Logan smiled that half-smile everyone at the School had learned not to mention (after watching Bobby dodge a snarling Wolverine last week) and sure enough, Laura traipsed into the room, followed by a giggling Amara. The girls sat down on the couch opposite Kitty and began a quiet conversation occasionally punctuated by gasps and giggles.

There was a glint in Magma's eye that set Wolverine on edge, but he ignored it as a shifting of position reached his ears. He glanced over at Roberto to find Rahne human again, and confused at that, her eyes wide and a blush rising to her cheeks as she registered her position—namely, in Roberto's lap.

"Um, what happened?" she asked, Scottish brogue intensifying as she scooted a bit farther from Roberto.

"You…had a flashback," Roberto informed her, the explanation sounding almost lame. "Jamie was splashing you in the pool and you…"

"You lost it, kid," Logan supplied, never one for euphemisms. "Shaking, crying, the whole nine yards. Sunny there saved you from practically drowning."

Rahne blinked first at Logan, then at Roberto as she processed the gruff teacher's statement. Finally, understanding dawned on her and the lycanthrope's gaze softened. Slowly, she scooted back to Roberto's side, green eyes locking on his confused gaze. Ever-so-gently, Rahne brushed her lips against her teammate's cheek, whispering a "thank you" before morphing back to wolf form and bounding out the door.

Roberto was too stunned to move, let alone speak, and Kitty couldn't help but grin.

'_Bout time,_ she mused, fighting the urge to laugh as Roberto's cheeks turned bright red.

"Hey, Logan?" Laura asked, apparently confused by something Amara was trying to explain, and Kitty looked back over at the almost-twins.

"Yeah?" Logan replied, distracted by Roberto's reddening face.

"What's 'that time of month' mean?"

Logan opened to his mouth to reply but got no further than "It" before his expression changed and he sputtered, "Wha-What?"

Amara and Laura exchanged grins that only Kitty picked up on, that subtle girl-thing when a plan has succeeded.

Logan, unfortunately, did not notice said grins, and all the blood drained from his face as he formulated an answer.

Amara and Laura looked at Kitty, their expressions clear: _He's actually going to explain it to us?_

It was hard to keep from laughing, not to mention subsequently avoiding being shish kabob'ed for embarrassing Wolverine, but Kitty managed to keep a straight face as Logan explained haltingly, "It's…uh…Well, it lasts for around a week and is as annoying as heck, that's for sure. Basically, it means a girl is moody and…er, potentially ready to have kids?"

He launched into an opinion the girls got a good giggle out of, something about not having kids in the first place because they're expensive and a hassle and there's nothing rewarding about raising a child, and lumbered off to a destination unknown—presumably the Danger Room or his motorcycle to clear his head.

Amara and Laura burst into giggles, Laura asking, "Did you see his face? That was priceless!"

"And his answer!" Amara grinned, holding her hand out for Laura to high-five. "Nice job. At least now we know his definition…"

Still smiling, Kitty rose from the couch, grasped the still-unmoving Roberto's shoulders, and phased him through the house to his bedroom, where she gently laid him on the bed so that he'd be more comfortable when he finally woke from his trance.

And wake he did, with a start as his alarm clock went off.

Sitting up, Roberto stared at his hands for a moment, muttering, "What a weird dream…and it felt so real, too…"

Shrugging and sighing, the boy got out of bed and wandered down to the kitchen, where Kitty sat typing away at her laptop (_Probably an email to Opa or something,_ he figured). Logan was leaning against the counter, a cup of coffee in one hand and the newspaper in the other.

"Morning," Roberto declared sleepily, rubbing his eyes and flopping into the chair next to Kitty.

Kitty waved absently at him and Logan just grunted that "whatever" grunt everyone tended to ignore, sipping his coffee without a care in the world.

Moments later, Amara and Laura practically skipped into the room, happy as could be.

Laura stabbed an apple from the countertop and swiped a few slices of orange from Logan's plate, earning her only a slight warning growl that she ignored as Amara dragged her to the living room.

Roberto sighed, his head in his hands, and Logan actually looked up at him, a mixture of annoyance and curiosity on his face.

"Something wrong, Bub?"

"Yeah, Roberto, are you sick or something?" Kitty asked, her fingers halting their typing.

"No," he grumbled. "Just had a weird dream that Jamie was splashing Rahne and she was hyperventilating or something."

He looked up at Logan, continuing, "You brought her into the house and said something about broken pasts when I caught up to you."

He turned to Kitty then, frowning. "You phased through the ceiling, and Amara and Laura were sitting near you laughing about something, and Rahne woke up and—"

His gaze swung back to Logan here, "—you told her I saved her from drowning, and she got this weird look on her face and…and…and…"

The blush rose to his face as Kitty prodded, "And what?"

"She…kissed me," Roberto whispered, turning a deeper shade of red.

Kitty and Logan exchanged looks, Logan raising an eyebrow and Kitty shrugging slightly.

"What?" Roberto asked, confused. "Did I say something funny?"

"I don't know how to break this to you, Bub," Logan began, but his explanation was cut short by a stampede of Mutant children, all babbling about how nice it was outside and how much they wanted to swim again.

"A…again?" Roberto questioned, frowning. "But, we didn't swim yesterday…"

The group looked at him strangely for a moment before resuming their chatter and heading outside, breakfasts in hand.

"Right?" Roberto asked, turning to Kitty for help.

"Actually, we _did_ go swimming yesterday," Kitty confirmed slowly, fighting a grin when Roberto's face paled with recognition.

"So that means…"

"She kissed you," Wolverine barked, obviously glad to have the explanation over and done with.

Roberto's jaw dropped as he realized his dream hadn't been a dream—unfortunate timing, since Rahne chose that moment to enter the kitchen. At Roberto's stunned expression, her face turned pink, and the redhead sped out of the room.

Logan walked over to the table and unsheathed a claw, hoping the sound would wake Roberto from yet another trance.

It did.

Sunspot jumped about a foot, shaking his head and staring fearfully at Logan.

"Um, thanks, I think," he mumbled, standing up on shaking legs.

"If I were you, I'd catch the wolf before somebody else does," Logan replied gruffly as one corner of his mouth turned upward.

"Y…yes, sir, Wolverine," Roberto stuttered, racing out the door.

That done, Logan let his claw slide back into its hiding place and leaned against Kitty's chair with a sigh.

"Well, Half-pint, whaddaya say? About time, wasn't it?"

Kitty smiled at the nickname and acknowledged, "Yeah, it sure was…"

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**Note (part deux)**: I had trouble starting this, but I kinda knew where I wanted it to go. It evolved from my original inspiration, but it works, I think. It's much longer than I was originally intending, but I kind of like it.

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**:

_-snikt-_ is used in several Laura-centric pieces that I've read. Works for me.

Rahne isn't technically a _lycanthrope_, but what she does is similar. (Wikipedia)

"_Half-pint"_ is used in the episode where Kurt and Kitty accidentally end up with Logan in Canada. And possibly other eps, too.

"_Laura"_ is the name several FF authors use for X23. I've seen others, but I prefer "Laura."

_Roberto_ _liking Rahne_ is referenced in "Retreat" slightly. If you think about it hard enough.

_Rahne panicking and flashing back_ is a reference to abuse at the hands of Reverend Craig, and later the angry mob essentially running her out of Scotland. (Wikipedia, comics) This was my psychological reference. PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The loudness, the multiple Jamies splashing her… It was a trigger, brought back the memories and feelings of being abused and such. I don't know if Rev. Craig's abuse was physical or just mental/emotional, but either way, he went about instilling religion the wrong way.

I'm relatively sure I saw Logan _unsheathe just one claw _at some point in the series. If that was a hallucination, I apologize.

"_It's about time"_ is a phrase echoed in many fics, as well as in novels and movies and real life; I didn't coin it.

I know that Jamie enjoyed Wolfsbane's company in…an episode I can't be bothered to find the title of at the moment (beginning of Season Three or Four, maybe?); I can see him being playful with her in a sibling-ly way. He seems to be a very curious, playful guy. He's the little brother of the group—in fact, I think he's **the** youngest in _Evo_. He also seems to be a little less-aware of things, but that could just be me. He's super-cute, though! =)

Logan has a _soft, fatherly_ side. We don't see quite enough of it for my liking, but oh well. That's what fanfiction's for, right? Lol. Even though this is only my second XME fic… Whatever.

Kitty's the _observer_, Rahne the shy one who _rarely speaks_, and Roberto is…well, Roberto. The over-achiever. I don't know how well I did with him, but oh well.

The whole Amara/Laura _twin_ thing? I thought Amara was X23 the first time I saw her, or the other way around. That's what I get for watching out of order, lol.

And the incorporation of the "_time of the month_" bit was weird, but I used it! Maybe Laura was nearing hers—or maybe she's just perpetually in a PMS mood because of HYDRA and all. Who knows? She could've been dealing with PMS and decided to ask Logan what he knew about it, or she could've been crabby and Amara helped her get over it by devising a joke. Or both. Take your pick. (Btw, this was used in a Kitty/Kurt story about insomnia and hot chocolate. I forget the title and author, but I know it's there somewhere.)

I don't know where the rest of the cast are. Honestly, I don't really care. They might've gone home or to Hawaii with Scott and Alex or were hanging out with friends or something. Make something up.

**Word count**: 2003. (Gee, how fitting! =P)

**Time**: Uh, over the span of two-ish days. Started the 20th and posted the 21st. Read _Insights_ on the 18th, maybe? Within a few days of posting.

**Other**: I C&P'ed several of the "Insights" pieces that I thought were funny or cute or that made me think. They may be up eventually, depending on if I get inspiration or not. And if I do, they'll be in this story as a collection of one-shots, probably.

I might continue Rahne/Roberto fics. If I'm inspired. I don't know. They're not used a whole lot in the series, so it's kinda hard to get a feel for how their personalities would mesh and all, but with the little we do see, there's definitely a little something there.


	2. Unknown

**March 21, 2010**

**More randomness. Humor, set sometime after Wanda begins living with the Brotherhood. Who knows what season. Doesn't really matter, I guess. Consider it a behind-the-scenes or a deleted moment?**

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**Wanda's guilty pleasure. Which I happened to love as a kid.**

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**Notes: **Might be OOC. Might make no sense. That's okay. It's kind of designed to.

I forgot to mention this in Chapter 1, but I own nothing.  
Though I did once have a talking Scooby Doo doll…

Shorter than Chapter 1. By a lot.

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**17. Unknown**

Not even Pietro knew about Wanda's collection of Scooby Doo DVDs in her closet.

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It was a typical lazy Saturday at the Brotherhood of Bayville Boarding House.

Fred was snoring on the couch, much to Lance's dismay: the Blob was taking up the only good seat in the house, and Lance's favorite reality show was on in five minutes.

So Avalanche did the logical thing: he shook the couch and bounced the still-sleeping giant over to the doorway. Might as well deter the other guys a little for some alone time.

He needn't have bothered.

Pietro was zipping up and down the stairs and around the front hall, skillfully avoiding a furious Wanda's hex bolts.

"Aw, c'mon, Wanda!" the younger twin cried, a hint of laughter in his tone.

"Toad was just joking around!" he defended the other Mutant, who was currently trapped between a few floor lamps and a kitchen chair, tongue occasionally flicking out to capture the flies buzzing about his prison.

Wanda just grunted and threw a few more bolts at him, one of which managed to slice off a chunk of his white bangs.

"Hey!" Quicksilver complained, frowning and speeding up—if that was even possible for him.

He zoomed over to Toad's prison, crossing teal-clad arms and accusing, "This is all your fault, you know."

"Hey!" Toad whined. "What happened to 'just joking around'?"

"If you hadn't gone in her closet, we wouldn't be in this predicament!"

"'Predicament'?" Wanda scoffed, glaring. "I didn't know you knew that word, Brother Dearest."

"Very funny, Wanda," Pietro scowled, turning back to Toad. "Like I said, this is your fault, pervert. I should kill you for invading my sister's privacy, but she's perfectly capable of it herself."

He smirked. "And watching her rip you to pieces would be really funny."

Toad's face fell and he turned to Wanda, pleading, "Wanda. Sweetums. Baby cakes. Please. Can't we just forget about it?"

Wanda growled at him (which, at almost any other point in time, would make him shiver in a rather good way) and threw another hex bolt at his face. He ducked just in time, but there was only so much space to wriggle around in this makeshift straightjacket.

Pietro zoomed up the stairs and was back in about ten seconds, holding the objects Wanda was torturing Toad over.

_Scooby Doo, Where Are You!_, _What's New, Scooby Doo?_, _The Scooby Doo Collection_, and a host of other boxed sets featuring the Mystery Inc. had been unearthed from Wanda's closet by the leaping bug-eater, a startling find amongst the outfits he'd been drooling over.

"Wanda, look," Pietro pointed out, waving the boxes in front of his sister's face. "Your precious DVD collection is fine. Toad didn't even slime them!"

Wanda _humph_ed, swiping the boxes from his hands and stomping up the stairs to return them to their hiding place—or find a new one, just in case.

Toad and Pietro let out simultaneous sighs and Toad wriggled about in his "cage," whining, "You can let me out now."

Pietro ignored the other boy and jumped over Blob's sleeping form to join Lance on the couch. The two acknowledged each other with a nod and silently ignored Todd's pleas to be freed from his cocoon.

An hour later, after re-hiding her DVDs and taking a shower to calm her nerves, Wanda released Toad, glaring as he swore, "I'll never ever touch your DVDs again!"

He smirked as he thought of where he'd found them. "I can't promise I won't go into your closet again, though…"

Wanda's eyes flashed, hands glowing blue and raising the chair back into the air.

Toad hopped backward into the kitchen, eyes wide. "Okay, okay! I'll stay out of your closet!"

Wanda kept walking toward him, fists balled and scowl firmly in place.

"Okay, out of your room, then!" he tried, and Wanda dropped the chair, turned around, and walked away muttering something about staying "out of my _life._"

Toad sighed, glad to have that ordeal over with, and leaped into the living room, where he was propelled over Blob and back into the entryway by a disgruntled Avalanche.

"Sheesh," he muttered, rubbing his face. "You could've at least said 'please'…"

Realizing he wasn't wanted in the living room and muttering to himself about the fact there was nothing else in the house to do, Toad hopped up the stairs and to Wanda's door.

"Oh, Sweetums," he called, hopeful.

The door turned blue for a moment, and when the aura faded Toad found it locked.

"But, Cupcake," he whined. "I thought you loved me!"

The sound of furniture hitting the other side of the door reached his ears, and his hopes fell. With a sigh, he hopped dejectedly back down the stairs and into the kitchen, back to catching flies.

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**Notes (part dos)**: Eh. Not my favorite ending, but I wasn't sure how to finish.

It changed from what I originally had in my head, but that's okay. I think this works a little better, actually…

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**:

Uhhh… anything?

Oh, I used Google to get the names of the _Scooby Doo_ DVD sets.

Other than that, I think this is pretty much all based on _XME._

**Word count**: 788

**Time**: Sunday afternoon, essentially. Not even the full afternoon, since I was busy with friends and homework.

**Other**: This isn't necessarily Toad/Wanda, though if you squint really hard, maybe…


	3. Love

**March 21, 2010**

**A look at Wolverine's thoughts on three special young ladies.**

**Timeframe = toward the end of season three, after Kitty gets her permit. Also after "Self Possessed", when Rogue loses control and Logan's there to talk her down. AND after he meets X23. But before they're trapped in the wilderness together.**

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**Notes: **This is for my own amusement. I own nothing, and I know very little about Wolverine—just the stuff I see on the show and in the movie and what I've read on Wikipedia. If I'm out of line on any of this, chalk it up to lack of knowledge and research. I'm not going by the comic versions of Logan, just what I see in _Evo_. Writing comic-verse refs for Rahne was hard enough; Logan is a bit more complex. =S

I've only just started writing for XME, and I'm still not totally comfortable writing for anyone, let alone Logan, but I'll give it a go. This started out in my head as "Ooh, his thoughts on Kitty, Rogue, and X23 (though in Season Three she was only in her debut episode)," and went from there. Evolved, just like everything else I write.

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**18. Love**

The only thing Wolverine feared.

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It was two am, and the Institute was quiet save for Logan's uneven breathing.

The Wolverine had just been awakened by a nightmare encompassing the students' escapades in the past year, specifically Kitty getting her permit, Rogue losing control, and Laura's story.

The nightmare had surprised him, true, but it was the thoughts it spawned that intrigued him most.

Grunting, Logan slid out of bed and shuffled into the living room, where he fell into a chair.

On the side table was a photo of the X-Men, taken just a few days ago.

Logan picked it up carefully, studying the faces of the Mansion's residents, two in particular catching his eye.

Kitty.

The girl who could phase through solid objects and who had managed to wiggle her way under his skin and into his heart.

The girl who had reached out to him when that darned chip had threatened to take control of his brain, reminding him that she was his Half-pint and being patient and gentle as he fought the chip.

The girl who had been so ecstatic to get her permit, but who couldn't take instruction on how to handle a vehicle.

The girl who had been so skeptical of the Institute—not to mention the Fuzzy Elf—but had come around and almost hated to leave for the holidays.

The girl who, when asked, would insist Logan was just being Logan, but who knew deep down that life was tough for the Wolverine.

Rogue.

The girl whose powers, while an asset in battle, meant that she was potentially doomed to a life of solitude.

The girl whose touch meant naptime and memory-borrowing and whose heart ached for acceptance and meaningful relationships.

The girl who had been so terrified of the X-Men in the beginning but who was now relatively proud to call Xavier's "home."

The girl whose friendship with Risty had been so strong, but had dissolved in seconds with the overwhelming feelings of betrayal.

The girl whose heart was as guarded as Logan's, which had affected him more than she would ever know.

Grunting, Logan set the photo back in its place, his mind drifting to the other girl forever etched in his memories.

X23.

His clone.

The girl who had been trained in combat from conception.

The girl whose past was as full of crap as Logan's.

The girl who so desperately wanted revenge and would have killed him to have it.

The girl who went from throwing punches to crying in his arms in a split second.

The girl whose life mirrored his, the exception being that he hadn't grown up fighting and killing.

All three were special to him, in their own ways.

All three were similar to him, in a sense.

Kitty and Rogue were like his daughters—or at the very least, his nieces—and if he ever saw X23 again, he'd probably see her in that light, too.

They were special girls, each one unique.

The emotion welling up inside him now was one he couldn't quite place.

He shrugged off the suggestion that it was love he felt towards these three; that was ridiculous.

Wolverine reproached, insulted, pushed.

He didn't love.

…Did he?

Was this really what love felt like?

Being proud of, grateful to, and nervous for someone at the same time?

If it was, he didn't like it.

Wolverine just didn't do warm-and-fuzzy.

And yet…

These three girls were the closest thing he had to children, he realized.

The other students didn't count; these three were the ones he had bonded with, the ones who understood him the best, the ones who would always be in his heart.

While the notion scared him, he sighed and went with it.

He loved these girls as if they were his own, and he would personally cut to shreds the person(s) who broke their hearts or harmed a single hair on their heads.

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**Notes (part two):** Er. I could probably have gone along the lines of romance for him, too, but I don't know how well I'd have written it.

Maybe that will come later, but for now the parental stuff is what you get. If you'd like to do your own "Logan's scared of love" prompt, feel free. I'd love to see your take on the Wolverine's love life, or lack thereof. Let PureWolfWarrior know, too, perhaps, since their stuff influenced this fic. Hah.

Here, have a sentence: His love-life, on the other hand… Now that was a different story.

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**:

Uhhh, "Laura's story" is a reference to singer/songwriter Laura Story…

Again, Logan is a father-figure, whether he likes it or not! =P

**Word count**: 653

**Time**: Like…an hour? Maybe two?

Weird. I was worried about writing Logan-centric, but it's possibly the quickest one I've typed out. Maybe it comes more naturally than I thought!

**Other**: Why do I start these with weird sentences that begin with "It"? Perhaps I'm subconsciously paying homage to "Insights"? I dunno. But it is kind of a fun theme. I think I'll continue it!

Oh, and the order isn't chronological or anything, just depends on which prompt inspires me to write and upload next.


	4. Wishing

**March 22, 2010**

**A look into Hank "Beast" McCoy's musings sometime after "Retreat," if not after the finale.**

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**Notes**: You've probably noticed this already, but I like to refer to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters as "The Institute." I don't remember when I started calling it that, but it's what I'm accustomed to by now.

I have a feeling this is going to be incredibly short. Just FYI.

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**24. Wishing**

Beast often wished for the days when he looked normal and was just a normal school teacher, but then he looks around the Institute and all his wishes are swept away.

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It wasn't easy being blue.

Hank knew the original color was green, but he could take creative license, couldn't he?

And anyway, it was probably difficult being any skin-tone, not just two of the primary colors.

Hank sighed as he wandered the halls of the Institute, gazing out the windows and yearning to be out in the open.

His time in the Redwood Valley had taught him that he needed to be careful no matter where he was, but still he longed to be free of this burden, to be able to be out in public and not have to worry about scaring people off.

He missed teaching, coaching, influencing young people's minds.

He missed being able to smile without his fangs visible.

He missed being able to go to the store like a normal person.

He missed the old days when he was just Hank McCoy, teaching Chemistry and quoting Shakespeare.

But as he walked through the halls of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters (avoiding collisions with New Mutants who insisted on chasing each other for hours at a time; watching Kurt 'port into adjoining rooms as Kitty phased after him, furious at his stealing her laptop; catching snippets of conversations between students and teachers alike; and watching the older students helping the younger ones with homework and target practice), Beast knew this was where he belonged.

And he wouldn't trade this moment in time for anything in the world.

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**Notes (part zwei)**: Much shorter than I was anticipating, but I really couldn't think of anything else to add. I hope I captured enough of Beast in such a short chapter…

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**: References to "Beast of Bayville," "Retreat," the song "It's Not Easy Being Green," and … that episode where Logan goes to Canada and Kitty essentially saves his life.

**Word count**: 241

**Time**: Monday laziness. Couple of hours?

**Other**: Last chapter, I used a preposition incorrectly. I'm too lazy to fix it.

Also, Pietro wouldn't have taken ten seconds. More like a tenth of a second. Unless he was going at normal-ish speed for some reason.


	5. Religion

**March 22, 2010**

**A relatively serious conversation between friends, set after those who fought at the pyramids returned to the Institute but before the Professor's speech. Kind of a missing scene. **

**Also, spoilers if you've not Ascension 1 and 2.**

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**Notes:** I really like doing these. They're taking up way too much of my time, though. My inspiration is coming within about five seconds of rereading one of the prompts, lol. It captures my attention, making me forget about my homework… Which I should be doing right now, as opposed to typing this. Eh, oh well.

FYI: I know Kurt's Catholic in the comics, but I'm not and am too lazy to look up exactly what Catholics believe about life after death. I know it's relatively similar to what I (as a Covenant-er) believe, but if any of this is off-base, blame my ignorance.

I have no idea what Jamie's religious background is. He's a curious boy, and kids are generally impressionable anyway. He'd probably believe practically anything you told him.

I think it's funny that my pastor just covered Death in last week's sermon (March 14th). But good timing. I might be using some of my notes from that sermon as info for this.

Again, Kurt's accent is not something I want to mess with right now.

And you have my sincerest apologies if I offend you in any way, shape, or form with this chapter or this fic.

This is NOT Kurt/Jamie slash. It is friendship and comfort. Nothing more.

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**6.** **Religion**

Kurt was never really vocal about his Christianity at the Institute, but when Jamie asked him what would happen to him after death he decided to change that.

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It shouldn't have surprised him, really. After all, they _had_ just risked their lives to save the world.

They came back sore and bruised, but alive and kicking.

Still, the battles at the pyramids would haunt them for weeks, Kurt guessed as he watched his teammates trudge into the mansion.

"Kurt?" came the careful, curious inquiry from Jamie.

With a sigh, Kurt turned away from the window to face the younger boy. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering…"

Jamie's gaze traveled to the Mutants congregated on the lawn, congratulating each other on a job well done and relieved to see friends and family still alive, as if the boy was thinking through his question a little more.

"Do you ever think about dying?" Multiple asked suddenly, glancing at Kurt shyly.

"Of course," Kurt replied. "Every day."

Jamie was silent for a few minutes, watching their teammates split off into groups and go different directions, to wind down somehow after their ordeal.

Then, "Do you ever think about…life _after_ death?"

"Jah," Kurt replied. "Sometimes."

Jamie's face twisted into a mask of curiosity and pain, and Kurt realized the boy was thinking about his parents as well as the team.

"You miss them, don't you?" Nightcrawler asked softly, placing his hand cautiously on the younger student's arm.

Jamie nodded, and Kurt felt his body begin to shake as tears streamed down his face.

With a sigh and a glance at the ceiling, Kurt wrapped his arms around Jamie, pulling the youngster into an embrace.

Jamie leaned into the hug, clinging to Kurt with all he had, and Kurt let the boy cry.

When the tears had subsided, Jamie peered up at Nightcrawler and admitted, "I'm scared, Kurt."

"Of?" Kurt prompted, waiting patiently.

"That I won't see my parents again."

The tears were threatening to spill over again, but Jamie managed to keep them in check as Kurt predicted, "You want to know if there's a Heaven, jah?"

Jamie nodded against Kurt's uniform.

"Well, I believe that Heaven exists. And I'm sure," Kurt reassured, gently lifting the Changeling's face so that he could look Jamie in the eye, "that your parents are there, watching over you. Jah, they are proud of you, James."

This sent Jamie into another round of shaky sobs before he confessed, "I wanted to die out there. I wanted the Professor to kill me, so I could be with my parents."

Kurt stared down at his young friend, surprised.

"Really? You wanted to fail?"

"I didn't want the team to fail, I just wanted the Professor to kill me," Jamie insisted. "Just one person, not everybody. People die in battle all the time, right?"

"Jah," Kurt agreed. "But they die of other things, too. Disease, murder, heart attacks… Many things kill. Death is certain. It is how we will die that is not."

"Yeah, well, when my dupes got hit, I wished I was one of them. I just wanted it be over with already," Jamie grumbled.

Kurt tightened his hold on Jamie's chin, just enough to keep the boy from moving his head, as he declared, "You were not meant to die today, Jamie. You are here for a reason. We all are. Just like there is a reason we gained a few extra teammates for this battle. We were meant to defeat Apocalypse."

"Yeah, but we're still freaks," Jamie insisted, wrenching his face free from Kurt's grasp.

"You know, mein friend, there was a time when I thought that, too. I thought perhaps I was a demon from Hell and would return there when I died."

Jamie looked up at him, grudgingly curious, and Kurt continued, "But then I realized that I am not a freak or a demon. I am just me, Kurt Wagner, doing my best to fit in and save the world that despises me so. I have faith that one day, all of us will stand before God and receive our promised rewards. I believe that one day we will each be congratulated…"

Here Kurt paused, a wistful look in his eyes as he murmured, "'Well done, my good and faithful servant.'"

Whatever Jamie wanted to say was cut off by the Professor's announcing "Everyone, please gather by the gazebo."

Kurt released his hold on Jamie, asking, "Better?"

Jamie nodded.

"Thanks, Kurt."

"Hey," the Fuzzy Dude replied, grinning. "No problem. What are friends for?"

They shared a smile as they made their way outside, Kurt catching up with Rogue and Jamie falling in line with the other New Mutant boys, ready to hear what the Professor had to share.

As Charles spoke, Kurt decided something: from this point on, he would be more vocal about his beliefs. After this year's events (not to mention Jamie's confession), they needed faith now more than ever.

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**Notes**: Meh. Not my favorite ending by any stretch of the imagination, but I guess it works.

I took creative license on this one. I incorporated Jamie's parents' deaths, but I bumped them back a few years, so he was a little younger when it happened. In the comics, he's fifteen when they die. For my intents and purposes, he was…eh, eleven or twelve. A little before (and part of the reason that) he came to the Institute.

I really adore Jamie. He's such a sweetheart, such a trooper. He's young, but he knows things. Too often he's seen as the annoying baby brother (which he can be), but that's only because he's so eager to please, IMO.

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**:

I probably referenced several other fics in this chapter, just can't be bothered to look them up again. My guesses are those by IronRaven, WhiteVeils, and potentially a few others.

I'm not sure what else I might have referenced. Maybe some lyrics or quotes. Or possibly one or two of my own fics. Who knows?

**Time**: Er, started Monday, finished Tuesday.

**Word Count**: 800. Shorter, but longer than one or two of the previous ones have been.

**Other**: Er. I dunno.

I might continue with the "Jamie's parents" thing later on, maybe incorporate it into some other chapter or fic.


	6. Prank

**March 23, 2010**

**Set after the season finale.**

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**Bobby. Pranks. Need I say more?**

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**Notes: **Uh. Well. I'm not sure this is entirely what PureWolfWarrior had in mind when typing this one out, but it's my take on the prompt.

Probably relatively short, but a chapter.

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**15. Prank**

Over the years, pink hair dye becomes Bobby's signature.

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It had begun as a joke, a way to lighten the mood after they'd defeated Apocalypse.

He had started with the person who was least likely to care: Tabitha.

Tabby could take anything in stride, and she'd been talking about dying her hair anyway.

He'd done it while she'd been napping and no one else was around to catch him in the act, using one of those aerosol cans of pink hair spray to coat her bangs and the tips of her hair.

She had woken up just after he'd darted out of room, completely oblivious of her new hairdo.

In fact, she didn't even notice until Kitty gave her a strange look and she glanced in a mirror, declaring enthusiastically, "Hey, lookin' good!"

From then on, it became a tradition, one person every few months.

There was no set discernable pattern, so nobody knew when or where.

After Tabby, the next victims that year had been Amara, then Roberto, Jean, Alex, and finally Kurt, all of whom took it rather badly.

The first one of the New Year had been Scott, then Kitty, Rogue, Jamie, Rahne, Sam, and Ray.

Over the next few years, the newer recruits and instructors all got their hair dyed, too.

Now, nearly three years later, he'd run out of people to "beautify," as the gang had taken to calling it, so he'd taken to using pink spray paint, markers, and any other writing utensil, to continue the tradition by coloring their belongings instead of their hair.

Still, it came as surprise when he woke up one morning to find his own mop of brown dyed pink—not all of it, just highlights, but enough to get a reaction if he ever went outside again.

"Aw, man," he laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Thanks, guys!"

He could hear the laughter from the hallway and shrugged at his reflection.

"Well, it was bound to happen sometime," he said, loudly enough for his teammates to hear as he headed into the hallway.

Unfortunately for Bobby, the dye was permanent, thanks to some chemical mumbo-jumbo by Beast.

Everyone insisted that it looked good on him, though, so he really didn't mind.

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**Notes (part due)**: Odd ending. Whatever.

No, the "three years later" probably won't carry over into the rest of the chapters. Possibly, but doubtful. No worries.

Last chapter, I said "dupes" and a couple other things about Jamie. Those were references to his Wikipedia article'd past.

**Word Count**: 365

**Time**: Uh, a few hours over Monday evening and Tuesday.

**Other**: Um, anyone know any Dutch? If you do, would you possibly be willing to supply me with some (clean) insults? Like "Shut up," "You're a jerk"—things that angry relatives might yell at each other? I've looked up some, but they're all inappropriate curse-words that I don't feel comfortable _reading_, let alone typing out.

…I think that's it.


	7. Obstacles

**March 28, 2010**

**Sort of serious, set after the finale, kinda. **

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**A look into Remy's "obsession" with Rogue.**

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**Notes: **This one will be interesting for me, since I'm not a huge fan of Remy. Sorry, Gambit fans, but there's something about his looks and attitude (and his infatuation with Rogue) that bother me. That and the fact he started out as a bad guy in the _Evo_-verse make him kind of annoying to me. He might be OOC in this chapter...

I am, however, somewhat a fan of Rogue. And Wolverine. And I love Wolverine in the father role, especially with Rogue, Kitty, and X-23, so he's always fun to write about. =)

Back to my note from chapter 3: I like starting chapters with the word "It." Or at least with an "I." I'm going to keep that, just 'cause it's kind of fun. =P

Could be shortish.

Oh, and I own nothing. Nada. Rien. Zilch. Zippo.

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**13. Obstacles**

Remy knew he could woo his chere, but first he had to get through Wolverine.

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It was difficult, Remy decided, to woo an X-Man.

Or maybe she was just playing hard-to-get.

With every other _fille_, Remy had had luck. He'd won them over almost instantly with his Cajun good looks and hypnotic charm.

With Rogue, he had to work harder to impress, it seemed. She didn't seem to appreciate his charm or looks, and certainly not his kidnapping her to free Jean-Luc.

He smirked at the though. No, she hadn't been pleased with him _at all_ after that.

But there had been something in her non-verbal communications that made him think she cared. After all, she had come back to help him get out.

And after that, when he had decided to join the X-Men, along with Magneto and some of the others, she had given him the cold shoulder. Sure, she'd let him hug her, but that was brief and only because she'd been relieved everyone was still alive—not to mention because hugs are expected when heroes return in-tact.

But his biggest obstacle in wooing Rogue, he'd known from the beginning, was her over-protective father-figure, Wolverine.

The man was determined to hold a grudge against Remy and turn everyone else against him, too.

But no matter.

Remy was used to being despised. Some people just had a hard time warming up to him.

At least Rogue forgave him after a while.

Wolverine was not so forgiving.

And not just because the man held grudges in general. There was more to it than just his inborn antisocial attitude.

He flat-out hated Remy, almost more than he hated teaching, Sabretooth, and the Brotherhood combined.

But Remy was patient.

Even after Rogue had accepted him, he waited.

He made a point of turning over a new leaf.

Of course, he needed to because he was an X-Man, but he went a step further than just giving up his old habits.

He was nicer than he needed to be, especially to Wolverine.

He helped the younger students with homework, cleaned up after people without being asked, and eventually earned the approval of everyone in the Mansion.

Everyone, that is, except the one man he most wanted approval from.

Logan just didn't appreciate the sincerity.

Finally, when Remy was about to give up on ever gaining Logan's trust, the Wolverine acknowledged him gruffly one morning.

"Gambit."

It was not a greeting, but more of a request.

"Wolverine?" Remy replied, anxious.

"Rogue is family, just like everybody else in this place," Logan began, staring him down.

Remy only nodded furiously.

"You know what I do to people who hurt my family?"

Remy flushed, eyeing the Wolverine's claws warily. When he didn't respond, Logan continued, "I shred them."

Remy only gulped, nodding his understanding.

Logan slid his claws back into place, jerking his head toward the stairs.

"You remember that next time you go anywhere with my girl, got it?"

Remy nodded slowly, the Wolverine's words sinking into his brain.

"So, you approve, _oui_?" he asked, grinning.

Logan only snorted and wandered off, waving a hand dismissively.

Remy kept his composure, though inside he was dancing, and made his way to Rogue's room to inform her of her guardian's consent.

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**Notes (part two)**: I hate writing endings.

But I LOVE writing Wolverine as father-figure. This was kind of fun.

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**:

Obviously referenced "Cajun Spice."

Also used Wikipedia's article on Gambit from the comics.

Uh. What else? Oh, "my girl" could be taken from anywhere. I think I can see Logan calling Rogue "my girl," especially after _Ascension 2_ and everything else they've been through together. He's a daddy. Get used to it. :)

Er. Um. Anything else? Oh, the "I shred people who hurt my family" thing was slightly inspired by the phrase "She's my best friend. Break her heart and I'll break your face."

…I think that's it.

**Word Count**: 530

**Time**: Sunday and Monday. Few hours total.

**Other**: Last chapter, I mentioned Dutch. That's for another potential chapter.

Uhhhh… Oh, it's my birthday tomorrow. I'm excited. =) I might turn out another chap by then. Depends on my imagination and tonight's events. I'm going to a local pizza place for a church fundraiser for the evening. Food, people, and fun! =)


	8. Nicknames

**April 9, 2010**

**So, this morning on my way home from school (after a stupid Bio test), I was inspired. One of my favorite shows + a favorite artist + a favorite website = ADVERTISING. Lol.**

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**A look into Jean's thoughts on the two guys vying for her affections. Kind of serious, and maybe romancey, set around Jean breaks up with Duncan. I guess you could consider it AU, my version of how she broke up with him…**

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**Notes:** Um. Yeah. Randomness. It started out small in my head and when I went to type it out, it evolved. As usual.

Probably not quite what Wolf meant whilst typing it out, but… you know me! Lol.

May be a bit long and rambling, but it wanted out, I tell you!

I own nothing. Except post-it notes, lol.

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**10. Nicknames**

Jean was always flattered when Duncan called her sexy, but when Scott called her beautiful she couldn't help but feel like she was floating.

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It was frustrating, Jean mused, to decide.

Deciding on what to wear this morning (jeans and a tee-shirt or skirt and blouse) had been more of a hassle than usual.

Deciding how to do her hair (up or down; if up, ponytail or bun) had proved challenging, too.

Deciding on breakfast (healthy cereal versus unhealthy, sugary stuff) had taken way too long.

She'd wasted her time on such decisions this morning, causing friction between her and the other students, who were eager to leave for school.

But deciding which boy she wanted to spend time after school today had been the biggest struggle of all.

Should she hang out with Duncan, whom everyone at school seemed to think was perfect for her?

Or with Scott, who treated her like a best friend and whom she'd known for almost ever?

Walking down the halls of Bayville High at the end of the school day, all sorts of boy-related thoughts racing through her head, Jean didn't notice the door to the teacher's lounge opening.

She was pulled out of the clouds when she bumped into a teacher, the man's coffee spilling on her skirt as her books went flying.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" they gasped in unison, the teacher kneeling to help Jean gather up her books.

"I wasn't paying attention," Jean apologized sheepishly, but the teacher waved a hand through the air. "Don't worry about; no harm done to me."

He glanced down at her ensemble and frowned. "You, on the other hand…"

Jean shrugged. "Nothing a good washing can't take care of."

"Well, good thing the day's over… But I am sorry!" the teacher insisted.

Jean only smiled at him and slipped into the bathroom across the hall, glad she'd grabbed her soccer uniform from her gym locker earlier in the day.

As she exited the stall and headed for the door, something on the mirror caught her eye. She stepped up to the mirror, surprised to find a post-it note proclaiming, in block-like letters, "If it wasn't for the sun, you'd be the hottest thing ever created!" Underneath that was scrawled "Pass it on" with an arrow pointing to a website: **operationbeautiful(.)com**

Curious, Jean snapped a photo with her phone and then scrawled the site on her hand, leaving the note up for the next unsuspecting girl to find. It had her smile and gotten her thinking, and she figured it would do the same for someone else later on tonight or tomorrow.

Knowing Scott and Duncan would both be waiting, glaring at each other and fighting for her attention—not to mention the right to spend the afternoon with her—Jean power-walked to the parking lot.

Sure enough, the boys stood leaning against their cars, parked side by side, trying to ignore each other.

Now the hard part of her day: deciding which guy to ride with.

When they noticed her, both boys' eyebrows rose, Duncan's in what looked like disgust.

Of course, she couldn't see Scott's eyes, but she knew from experience that his expression was one of curiosity and, strangely enough, almost appreciation.

As she got closer, Duncan walked up to her and grabbed her hand possessively, asking with a frown, "What happened to your skirt?"

"Maybe I just wanted to change," Jean replied, shrugging innocently and hoping Duncan left it alone.

Unfortunately for her, he didn't. He kept going on about how she looked much sexier in the outfit she'd been wearing when she got to school this morning, and sure, he loved watching her play soccer, but he preferred her in the skirt.

His eyes narrowed and lit up in a way that made Jean uncomfortable and she stopped walking, pulling her hand out of Duncan's grasp.

"You know what, Duncan? I just remembered that I promised Kitty I'd help her with her homework after school," she declared, picking up her pace as she walked toward Scott, who opened the passenger-side door for her.

Before she reached the convertible, however, Duncan was pulling her backward, twisting her arm in his haste.

"Ow! Duncan!" Jean exclaimed, whirling on him.

_If he keeps this up, we're done,_ she promised herself.

At her intense gaze, Duncan dropped Jean's arm, his eyes widening as if he could tell what she was thinking.

Just as quickly, his gaze went dark and he gripped Jean's shoulder with one hand, gritting his teeth as he curled the other hand into a fist.

Before Duncan could move or speak, Scott was pushing him backward, his own fists clenched as the two stared each other.

"What the heck, Summers?" Duncan demanded, stepping toward Scott, who backed up, not wanting to start a fight. His arm went up protectively in front of Jean, waving her into the car.

"Easy, Dunc," Scott suggested, backing up around the hood of his car, keeping his hands up in a sign of surrender.

Still, Duncan advanced, glaring.

Wishing someone would call security on Matthews, Scott finally jumped into the car and left the parking lot, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Well. That was interesting."

Jean gave him an exasperated look, but quickly dissolved into laughter.

Scott started laughing, too, and pulled the car over to the side of the road so he could calm down.

"So," he began after he'd stopped laughing, a bit more serious now, turning to face Jean.

"_So_ what?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

"What _did_ happen to your skirt?" Scott asked, casually resting an arm on the back of her seat.

"I ran into a teacher and he spilled coffee on it. I wasn't going to walk out of school in a wet skirt," Jean informed him, smiling.

He chuckled and smiled back. "No, I guess not..."

Jean could tell that his gaze was distant, even behind the glasses.

"Scott? Something bothering you?" she asked, frowning.

Cyclops shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine."

He moved his arm so that he could put the car back into drive, but Jean gripped his wrist gently, insisting, "I know you. And I could probe your brain, but I'd rather you tell me yourself. Please?"

Scott sighed. "Duncan is… a jerk," he bit out, frowning and trying not to turn it into a glare.

Jean was quiet for a moment before replying slowly, "He…has his moments…"

Scott looked back at her, his eyebrows clearly spelling _Are you kidding me?_

"Okay, so his moments happen more than other people's…"

The eyebrows changed to _Yeah, right. Try _a lot_ more,_ and Jean sighed.

"Okay, so he's got some issues. But he's really not that bad…" Jean defended.

Scott snorted. "He insulted you back there."

Jean frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

She could tell he was rolling his eyes and closing them in an effort to stay calm as he replied, "I heard him talking about your clothes. He's wrong."

"About…?" she pressed, resisting the urge to invade his mind.

"_Sexy_?" Scott emphasized, the eyebrows arching.

"You don't agree?" Jean asked, frowning in disappointment. It was nice to be appreciated…

"Nope."

Jean _humph_ed, insulted, and crossed her arms, turning away from Scott's gaze.

She heard the sigh as Scott's hand reached her chin, turning her head back toward him.

She refused to meet his gaze, focusing instead on a tree on the side of the road.

"Jean," Scott said softly, and she looked back at him reluctantly.

She was surprised to see his gaze softening behind the shades, and his voice reflected the expression as he stated, "What I meant was that _sexy_ is not the right word. You're _beautiful_. Always. It doesn't matter what you look like. Duncan doesn't appreciate you for who you are. He doesn't know the real you."

His gaze was steady as he finished, "But I do."

Their faces had gotten progressively closer in the last few seconds, Jean noted with surprise: their noses were almost touching, and she could almost see through Scott's glasses.

Another surprising realization was that her heart was beating much faster than usual, and she was almost certain she could hear Scott's beating, too.

They stared at each other for a moment, their gazes dropping a few inches and then returning to each other's eyes.

Slowly, as if in slow motion, their faces grew closer and Jean's eyes began to close.

_-Bamf- _sounded behind them, followed by that all-familiar smell of sulfur.

Jean bit back a groan and scooted away from Scott, refusing to let herself blush.

"Uh, Kurt," she stuttered, turning to the younger Mutant. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, the professor was wondering where you were. I volunteered to look for you at school. When I couldn't find you there, I wandered through the treetops until I noticed the car," Kurt replied simply, oblivious to Jean and Scott's annoyance.

"Well, could you 'port back and let him know we'll be home soon?" Scott suggested, looking for all the world like he was resisting the urge to strangle The Fuzzy Dude.

"Uh, sure," Kurt replied, casting them anxious glances and _bamf-_ing away.

Scott sighed and turned his gaze forward.

"I suppose we should head back to the Mansion, huh?"

"Yeah," Jean replied, hiding her disappointment.

Why was she so disappointed, though, she wondered. Had she wanted Scott to kiss her? But she was dating Duncan—she couldn't kiss another guy! And she most definitely couldn't kiss Scott, who was like a brother. That would just be awkward.

And yet, she found herself stealing glances at Scott as he drove them home, mulling over his comments and the differences between his speech and Duncan's.

Duncan called her _sexy_ a lot, and she really didn't mind it. It made her feel attractive, wanted. But she had to admit, the term was a little degrading.

Scott calling her _beautiful_, on the other hand, was a welcome surprise. And for him to tell her that she was beautiful _all the time_… Well, the implications there were not something she could ignore.

Jean groaned inwardly, fighting back a headache.

Decisions sucked, she concluded as Scott pulled into the garage.

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**Notes**: Eh. Weird ending, but another chapter!

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas and Other Random Crap**:

"More Beautiful You" – Jonny Diaz (though it's not an obvious ref, mostly just the fact that Scott thinks Jean is pretty no matter what!)

OperationBeautiful – You HAVE to check out this site. It's so freaking awesome. I stumbled upon it thanks to Gives Me Hope or some such site and fell in love with the mission. I've been posting my own OpB notes at school and stuff. I even mentioned it on my Facebook page and was informed by a classmate that she had found it because of my being vocal about it. =)  
And yes, the quote I used is from OpB. Today's postings, actually. Edited a bit, but still taken from the site.

Um, the episodes Duncan's in ("Mainstream" and "Uprising" especially). He's a narcissistic butthead… I didn't really feel comfortable writing dialogue for him for some reason… considering I like writing dialogue. The non-verbals are obvious in my head, but trying to write them down is tough. …Whatever.

Also, "Blind Alley," the scene toward the end when Jean puts Scott's glasses back on. And the beginning when they're staring at each other, lol. FYI, I don't know for sure if you can see through ruby quartz, since what's-her-face was pretty close to Scott and insisted on pulling his shades off, but I feel like if you get close enough maybe you could.

Er, Kurt 'porting in was evil for JOTT fans, but I decided it needed to be used. Don't ask why Kurt 'ported through treetops. He just did. OR why Prof X wanted them. Maybe to help with training or something.

**Words:** 1680

**Time**: A few hours over the course of Friday.

**Other**: Eh. There's another Jean-centric prompt in Insights that I may tie back into this eventually, but it could stand on its own, too. Dunno yet. Depends on inspiration.

I could totally call this chapter "Decisions" instead of "Nicknames," but "Nicknames" was the prompt title. =P

And Jean having a camera phone is my imagination. But didn't she have a phone in one episode?


	9. Curls

**April 10, 2010**

**This one came to me after reading "Curls" by Drifting One (coincidence? Not quite. You'll see why if you read that one.), and after re-watching "Grim Reminder."**

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**Humor, set within "Grim Reminder." Missing scene, if you will. I mean, did you **_**see**_** how ticked Rogue was at Kitty for interrupting her morning routine??**

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**Notes: **Most likely relatively short. And possibly out of character for our Miss Rogue.

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**2. Curls**

Rogue had never told anyone, but in reality, her hair was curly.

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It sucked.

It really did.

Who would want to be interrupted during their morning routine?

Especially when that routine involves something everyone you live with would be surprised by.

Rogue's morning had been going just _fahn_, thank you, until Kitty had phased through the bathroom door—which, we might add, had _clearly_ been marked as "occupied"—and interrupted her.

Not to mention the fact that Shadowcat had almost found out Rogue's secret.

She had thrown her damp towel over her head hastily as soon as she'd heard the tell-tale _whoosh_ of Kitty entering the room, glaring at her roommate and crying, "The sign says _OCCUPIED_!"

The towel had dropped in her rush to shoo Kitty out the door, but Rogue was pretty sure Kitty was too groggy to notice her hair.

She let out a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her rude roommate, glad her privacy was back and that her secret hadn't been revealed.

Rogue turned to the mirror, frowning at the mass of curly-slash-straight hair. It was always annoying to have to straighten it, but it had become so ingrained in her daily routine that she couldn't stop.

It had started out on a whim, random one morning as she was getting ready for school. Out of curiosity, she'd borrowed Mystique's straightener and experimented with her curls.

Then, after getting so many positive comments at school, it had become a habit.

Now, it was almost an addiction. She couldn't allow her housemates to see her curls—they might make fun of her!

Contrary to popular belief, Rogue _did_ care what others thought of her. Though she had to distance herself for obvious reasons, she hated the thought of being rejected.

Straightening her hair was one more way of fitting in, of being accepted.

She couldn't risk anyone seeing her curls. She worked incredibly hard to conceal them, even buying fancy shampoos and conditioners that kept her hair straight in humidity or while being rained on and whatever other wet situations she got herself into.

So far, they'd worked. Nobody knew yet, except maybe the professor with his probing powers. But he hadn't said anything if he did know, so it was all right.

But if anybody found out, they would be waking up in the infirmary with a major headache, that was for sure.

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**Notes**: Kay, what I don't get is, why is there only room for one girl in the bathroom? Shouldn't they be able to include multi-person bathrooms? Granted there are only, what, four girls in the Mansion, but really? Weeeeird.

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**:

"Curls" by Drifting One

"Grim Reminder" scenes.

Uh, I don't know a whole lot about Rogue's past. I'm just guessing that, deep down inside, she does care what other people think of her. Having gotten so many compliments from her classmates, she probably figured they hated her curls or something. Thus, she kept straightening, and it became a part of her.

Similarly, I know very little of hair products. I'm a towel-dry-and-go kind of girl. Pretend such conditioners exist in the _Evo_-verse. :P

I apologize for the rambling, crappy ending. I was bored.

**Words**: 390

**Time**: A total of perhaps an hour or two.

**Other**: I really enjoy positive feedback. =)


	10. Family Man

**April 6, 2010 ; April 11, 2010**

**Rather serious-y, with just a touch of humor. Set at the end of the series finale.**

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**Picking Cannonball's brain a little.**

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**Notes: **I own nothing.

Sort of short.

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**12. Family-Man **

To Sam Guthrie his family always comes first.

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It meant the world to him.

Family, that is.

His was large, but close-knit.

The photo of the nine of them, taken just a few minutes before he'd left Kentucky behind, stared at him from the night stand.

With a sigh, Sam picked it up and held it just inches from his face, studying the faces of his siblings in the fading light that trickled in through his window.

Paige.

Melody.

Jay.

Jeb.

Lewis.

Joelle.

Elizabeth.

Cissie.

Peggy Sue.

They were his life, but also the reason he'd left Kentucky.

He'd wanted to stay, but he knew that Professor Xavier could help him learn to control his powers.

He missed them—oh, how he missed them—but he knew that one day, possibly in the not-too-distant future, he would see them again.

For now, he would rely on his memories of them.

Playing House with Paige and Melody in the make-shift clubhouse in their back yard.

Teaching Jay and Jeb to fish.

Helping Lewis learn to tie his shoes.

Rescuing Joelle, Elizabeth, and Cissie from too many spills to count: into ditches, out of trees, off of horses… Those three had gotten into some real sticky situations, and had always relied on Sam to get them out.

And chatting with Peggy Sue, the baby of the family, who was smarter than a lot of people gave her credit for.

The only people missing from the photo were Mama and Daddy.

Daddy, of course, had died from the lung infection after many years hard at work in the mines. Sam missed him terribly, often reflecting on the way his pa would talk, and the way he encouraged his children to be hard workers and not take anything for granted.

Mama had been behind the camera, taking the picture. She had had to keep reminding her children to squish closer together and smile and look at the camera. She had refused to join them to pose for a picture, though for what reason Sam still didn't know.

She had mailed him the photo a few weeks later, after having it developed and framed.

Now, as the faces stared back at him, Sam knew that no matter what, his family back in Cumberland was most important.

But the family he had here, the X-Men, came in a pretty close second.

The photo that hung on his wall, the one that he saw every time he left his room, had been taken just a few weeks ago, after their battle with Apocalypse had ended successfully and a few of the team had been allowed to return to the Institute.

The School was a God-send, a second home to all of them. For many, it was the only true home they'd ever know. They were family, and Sam was proud to call himself an X-Man.

As the seconds ticked closer to lights-out, Sam fell into a peaceful slumber, content with the knowledge he was where he was meant to be.

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**Notes**: Er…Not so happy with the ending, but it works.

And we'll say Jean's telekinesis took care of taking the finale photo.

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap**:

Peggy Sue (AKA the littlest sister)'s name came from veasley-veasley-krum's fic "Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low?", considering Sam's Wiki article doesn't name her.

"Jay" is actually Joshua. Not sure how they got "Jay," but who cares!

Sam's Wiki article is awesome for info. Several of his siblings are Mutants. If Marvel makes a Season Five of XME, let's petition for inclusion of Husk, Aero, Icarus, and Jeb (whose codename I do not know.), among others. Yes?

Two other influences were Scribbler's "My Sam" and MizzMarvel's "Changes."

Playing house, etc, came from my imagination. I would guess that Sam would oblige his siblings, teach them things, and save them from falls and such.

**Words**: 495

**Time**: A few hours?

**Other**: Um. I'm working on a few more of these, as well as some other ideas.

I love that I'm getting positive feedback. Even if it is only from, like, two people. Lol. =)


	11. Normal

**April 2, 14, 21, 30, May 19, and June 14, 2010**

**More serious, set probably after the finale.**

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**A look into characters' thoughts.**

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**Notes: **The only way I can think to do this one is giving little one-sentence thoughts from each particular character.

Will reference the whole series, and possibly the characters' individual Wikipedia articles.

XME isn't mine.

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**25. Normal**

To say that the X-Men, New Mutants, Brotherhood, or Acolytes didn't sometimes wish to be normal would be a lie.

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It would be stupid to assume they didn't struggle with fitting in.

They _all_ struggled with their mutations, with physical complexities or mental ones. Each one wished, on occasion, that they hadn't been granted their abilities.

Charles sometimes wished he hadn't opened the school, and that his telepathy hadn't emerged.

Wolverine hated that he would probably outlive everybody on the planet, much less the X-Men.

Storm often wished that her time as "goddess" … well, hadn't been.

Beast most definitely wished to be normal-_looking_ again, so he could actually go outside.

Cyclops really hated that stupid visor.

Jean sometimes wished she didn't have to deal with "the voices in her head."

Nightcrawler had always been ridiculed for his appearance, and often wished the hologram was the real Kurt.

Shadowcat had hated her gift at first, called it a curse; sometimes she still thought that way.

Rogue _really_ hated having to isolate herself from the rest of the team, and the world in general.

Spyke hated his appearance and wished his mutation hadn't gotten so bad, or would go away all together.

Iceman, while appreciating his ability to create ice cubes and such, really wanted to be a normal kid again.

Cannonball was proud of having saved a man with the manifestation of his powers, but wanted to go back to the way it had been before.

Magma was certain she would enjoy plane rides and cruises more if she hadn't been so connected to the earth.

Jubilee at times wished that she could go back to life before the manifestation of her powers, before her parents had died… back to being a Cali-kid.

Wolfsbane struggled with her mutation, torn between hating the supernatural shifting and loving the freedom she felt as a wolf.

Multiple really didn't want to worry about his dupes showing up accidentally.

Berzerker wanted to stop worrying about electrocution.

Sunspot wanted to go back to playing soccer—_without _powering up and freaking people out.

Mystique was sick of the stupid Brotherhood boys, and of being defeated by the X-Men so many times.

Avalanche enjoyed having power over others, but sometimes wished he could do make them fear him _without_ using his powers.

Blob was really sick of being viewed as…well, The Blob.

Toad hated that people hated his hygiene—or lack thereof.

Quicksilver liked being fast, but quick thinking made for boring afternoons.

Scarlet Witch was sick of trying to keep the peace in the Boarding House.

Magneto was proud of having helped save lives as a child, but sometimes grew tired of putting up with the Acolytes.

Gambit sometimes wished his appearance wasn't so alarming to people.

Sabretooth was, contrary to popular belief, tired of chasing Wolverine all the time.

Colossus sometimes wished he and Illyana had never been in the vicinity of that train…

Pyro sometimes wanted to be a regular author, although he'd probably still love flames without the mutation…

Boom-Boom wished she could erase the mistake of using her powers to help her criminal father.

X-23 hated being a clone.

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**Notes:** Eh. Not my favorite by any stretch of the imagination, but an update! …After two months… Sorry!

**Influences, Borrowed Ideas, and Other Random Crap:**

I went by the order the characters are listed in the XME Wikipedia article, skipping over/ignoring several 'cause I don't know enough about them to interpret their thoughts on being normal. I added a few of the Neutrals as well.

As I was reading Sabretooth's Wiki article, I found that he had a habit of tracking Wolverine down to fight him—on Logan's birthday. Is it safe to connect Creed's first tracking of Logan to Logan's birthday? Or should I not assume that? XP

Pyro's wish came from the House of M portion of his Wiki article.

Piotr's ref was from his Wiki comic article.

You get the idea

**Word Count: **507

**Time: **Ugh, WAY too long!

**Other:** Did I just coin the phrase "Cali-kid?" Sweet, go me! XD


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